Calm Your Storm

"Calm Your Storm" by Christine Graves via NighCafe Studio

I planned to make the Sunday Morning thing go from week to week, but there's a problem. I have a real-world job, and it's been a long week. I won't go into a lot of details, but I've had my spirit tested multiple times this week. It's been exhausting.

As an older woman with high blood pressure, you'd think I'd know how important it is to stay calm. However, because I'm an older woman, I also have that wonderful thing called "Mental-Pause" happening. Anger just kind of comes with the affliction.

My job is very physically demanding. I am the department head, so I also have to deal with a lot of mental stress. It's my job to make sure everyone else gets their stuff done, has everything they need to do their jobs, and is doing their jobs correctly. At the end of the day, my nerves are shot.

This past week has been especially brutal. It seemed that no matter how hard I tried to keep things running smoothly, everything was falling apart. I actually broke down in tears today. I was angry, hurt, exhausted, and just tired of all the crap. I was broken.

Then a little voice in my head said something to me that I normally say to others. "Calm your storm". 

No, it's not a verse from the Bible, but a quote from a movie. In the 2010 version of Clash of the Titans, Perseus is about to fight the Gorgon, Medusa. In preparation, the goddess (?) Io reminds Perseus that he must "ease" his storm. Calm his anger. Get his thoughts in order and make his plan. 

Mark 4:39 says, "He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down, and it was completely calm."

It's easy to get upset in a situation that isn't going our way. I'm probably one of the worst about this. Getting angry instantly isn't going to fix the situation. A cool head and a steady hand is the way to go. Speaking from experience here. My getting upset over the situation only gave me a headache and chest pains. Once I'd calmed down, I was able to tackle the problem, come up with a solution, and get through the rest of the day. It wasn't a permanent fix, but I was able to get through the day. 

As you go through the rest of this week, remember to "Calm Your Storm" when you feel yourself getting upset over little things. Even with the bigger issues, keep your calm. Find that place within yourself that fights those negative feelings. Understand that getting upset isn't going to make things better, only worse.

Until next time,
Mom Graves!!!

 

Sunday Morning Moments

"Sunday Morning Moments" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

Hello, my darlings. I hope you are all well on this beautiful Sunday morning. Happy Father's Day to all the dads--and father figures. Also, happy Solstice. Yes, it's the first day of summer, and you know what that means, right? Yep, Christmas is right around the corner. Can you believe we're officially halfway through this year? 

I had a new idea for the site I'd like to try, and I hope you'll enjoy it. I want to start working on doing a weekly post that is all about light, love, and finding peace within yourself. A way to face the coming week with a positive attitude and a peaceful vibe in your heart.

The first thing you'll see is a quote from the Bible. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I am a firm believer in God. Religion as a whole? Not so much. I also believe that the Universe is a living, breathing entity. I've often said that the Universe speaks to me. No, I'm not a nutjob, and this isn't something I'll be trying to ram down anyone's throat.

Along with the weekly Bible verse, I'll also be giving you a week's worth of positive affirmations. A chance to start each day with a quick shot of positivity to get you on your way. It's non-fattening and filled with vitamins such as Humorousness, Sarcasm, and Shenanigans. It's not just to make you feel good, but to make you giggle a little as well. 

So, let's give this a shot, shall we? 

Sunday Morning Moments---June 21, 2026

Happy Father's Day and First Day of Summer. I hope it's a beautiful day wherever you may be. 

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Proverbs 17:6 — "Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children."

I'm a grandmother, and nothing makes me happier. I have four grandchildren, but only get to see two of them, as the other two live on the other side of the country. They are all part of my "crown". They give me a reason to keep going, even though I don't see them very often. I raise one of my grandbabies, one lives just down the street, but the other two I only see when we video chat.

I try to be the parent/grandparent that my children and grandchildren can be proud of. I work hard, keep myself out of trouble (for the most part), and live by the rules I set for others. I try not to be a "do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do" person. I want my kids and grandkids to know that it's okay to be yourself, but treat others the way you'd like to be treated. Accept responsibility for your own actions, but don't accept disrespect you haven't earned. 

On this Father's Day, I wish you and your families the same. I pray you enjoy the love and joy that can only be found in our children and grandchildren. I pray your children/grandchildren love and respect you and are proud to be part of your life. And I pray that even when negative issues appear, you find a way to get past them, learn from them, and keep your love alive.

Weekly Affirmations (June 21-27)

Happy Solstice. As we take our first steps into a new season, I thought this would be the perfect time to bring in some new ideas. These affirmations are meant to give you a reason to smile, no matter what day of the week it is. Whether convincing yourself to go back to work after a long weekend, or a mid-week boost to keep you going. Start each day with a fresh outlook in your mind and a little peace in your heart. 

Sunday: "I welcome the light of the solstice. I anchor myself in quiet peace, knowing my spirit is constantly being refueled by a boundless, loving source."

Monday: "As the busy week begins, I move with grace and steady focus. My strength is deeper than any demand placed upon me."

Tuesday: "I protect my inner sanctuary. No matter how chaotic the environment around me, the center of my mind remains calm and grounded."

Wednesday: "I am proud of the hard work I do, but I am defined by the peace I keep. I am capable, resilient, and sustained."

Thursday: "I give myself permission to take micro-moments of rest today. A deep breath, a warm cup of coffee, a quiet thought—these are my sacred resets."

Friday: "I celebrate my capacity to handle big things, and I honor my body’s need to slow down. I am carried by a strength that does not fail."

Saturday: "The weekend is here, and I reclaim my time. I let go of the rush, refill my creative well, and rest in the knowledge that I am enough."

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Yep, that's it. I hope you find something in here to bring a smile to your face and a song to your heart. Happy Father's Day and enjoy your first day of summer. Remember, tomorrow is another day and it's all what you make of it.

Until next time,
Mom Graves!!!!!

Treasures from the Past

 

"Distant Memories" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

So, an amazing thing happened to me this past week. I found a bunch of old articles and websites/blogs I'd created in the early 2000s. I even went so far as to find one of the very first HTML sites I put together back in 2001. I was gobsmacked, and I never even knew what that term actually meant.

As I've mentioned before, I've been doing this old-school blogging thing since the late 90s. My very first "computer" was a gadget that hooked up to my television called Web TV. I could only use it after 7pm when the long-distance phone rates dropped. Yeah, I'm that old.

My first two websites were FindingtheFather.com and PlantLore.com. Both sites were hosted through a place called Webseed.com. It wasn't anything fancy back then, and now that I look at them, I realize just how far we've come. I spent about three weeks locked in my bedroom, teaching myself how to do HTML, and was so proud of myself when I'd built my first sites. I thought I was the coolest person in my little one-horse hick town.

Once I'd found those sites, I found one I'd done called The Prompt Writer. The very first website I owned, made specifically for creating writing prompts. I did that one in 2007. I'll be going over that site and pulling all my old writing prompts and giving them new life.

I also found one called Creative Writing through a writing community called Today.com. To be honest, I didn't even remember doing that one. I need to really go through that site just to see what I wrote. I have no idea what's in there.

The one that really blew me away was finding a page for ChristineSenter.com. Yep, that was me back in the day. From the late 90s through 2013, I wrote under my former married name of Senter. I got remarried in December of 2013 and in January of 2014, I was writing as Christine Graves. 

I also found two Blogger blogs I'd forgotten I had. One was called Redhead Rants and the other was Must Write Again. The first one was started in 2007 and I have a lot of posts on it. At that time, I was doing a lot of "mommy blogging" and entering blog contests. I had a blast. That was back in the days of Blog Carnivals and Link Swaps. That got me into writing ad copy and it didn't take long for me to learn how to make money writing ad content on my blogs. 

Must Write Again came along between the end of marriage number 1 and number 2. I wasn't in a very good place mentally and that site was created simply to try and force myself to get back to normal. Didn't work very well. I abandoned that site fairly quickly, though I did go back in 2018 and tried again. Not very successfully, I might add.

So, what is a girl to do with all this old-school blogging fodder? You use to your advantage, that's what you do. LOL

I'll be going through all the old articles I found and breathing some new life into them, or at least the ones that are worth a damn. I'm sure there are some that are better left where they lie. I'll also be grabbing all those old writing prompts and giving them a new purpose. I'm kind of excited about those. 

As for the two Blogger blogs I found, I'm completely revamping them. Redhead Rants is now called A Mug of Musings and I'm still working on a plan for that one. However, I'm turning Must Write Again into a place I can be proud of, and am calling it Graves Tales. I'm going to be adding my fiction and poetry over there. I actually have a plan for that site.

Since I'm no longer writing on Medium, I'm planning on putting all my heart and soul into my blogs. I've always said I wanted to try and keep old-school blogging alive, and I think this is my sign to do so. It's been some time since I felt like I was writing for myself rather than writing to make someone else happy. 

No, this isn't something that's going to happen overnight. It's going to take some work, and I'm okay with that. I feel like this is the culmination of a lifetime of trial and error. And I've been given the chance to have all that work at my fingertips once again.

I hope you'll come along and see where we go from here. Let's bring back old-school blogging and enjoy writing again.

Until next time,
Mom Graves!!!!!

If You Believe, Anything is Possible

 

"Endless Possibilities" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

I did a post a few weeks ago about the feeling I've been getting about writing more about God. Though I'm not a very religious person, I do believe in God and I do see myself as a very spiritual person. 

Anyway, I keep getting a message telling me I need to bring Him into more of my writing and look to Him for more guidance. Then, something happened that brought it all together. 

Let me give you a little backstory. My great-niece, (she's 19), found out she was going to have a baby. Though the father isn't in the picture, her parents, (my nephew and niece-in-law) were ready to help her out any way they could. 

The baby's due date was late February/early March. We had planned on having the baby shower today, (January 26), but the Universe had other plans. Baby boy showed up on January 19th, a month and a half early. 

As you may expect, he's been in NICU since his birth. He's having issues breathing and he's still in critical condition. His mama has been discharged, but this poor girl is just numb. She's trying to put on a brave face, but you can tell all she wants to do is sit down and cry.

The family decided to go ahead with the baby shower. They felt it would be a nice distraction for the mama and help get her out of her funk. Then, my niece-in-law called me last night, crying. She asked me if I'd be willing to deliver the prayer at the beginning of the shower. The baby is struggling and it's almost more than either she or the mama can take. I didn't even hesitate before saying yes.

I woke up thinking about it. I wanted to make sure to say all the right things and not accidentally say something that would hurt someone's feelings. Without thinking, I was scrolling through social media and something popped up I wasn't expecting. It was a post about a Bible quote. Mark 9:23 says, "Everything is possible for he who believes".

Now, keep in mind, I'm not normally the kind of person who stops to watch these types of reels. However, something told me to watch this one. It hit me...hard. I started crying myself. Then, I knew I had the message I needed to pass along.

I went to the baby shower and gave the opening prayer. I made sure to bring up the verse and how I believed that all would be well. I must have hit the mark as I turned around and my niece-in-law was bawling her eyes out and little mama ran up to give me a hug. Auntie loves all her babies. 

Now, here's the kicker. It hit me that this verse doesn't just pertain to a tiny baby and my family members. It pertains to EVERYTHING!!!

I've been working hard to bring my dream to fruition. I'm not making a ton of money with my writing, but for some reason, I'm not sweating over it. In fact, I'm enjoying myself. Maybe it's because I've moved more into the old-school blogging thing, instead of the "writing for the masses" thing. I just feel better about it. And I believe in it. 

I wholeheartedly believe that I will make this happen. I may not make this happen in a couple of weeks, but I will make this happen. I've taken on the mantra, "I'm the only person who can stand in my way". And this is also something I truly believe.

Even if you're not a religious or spiritual person, most people believe that a positive attitude is key to making it in this world. If you don't believe in yourself, why would anyone else? If you believe you can achieve something, you can. However, it may not be exactly what you were expecting. Remember, even a little win is still a win.

If you believe in your own abilities, you will succeed. That doesn't mean it will be handed to you on a silver platter. You have to work hard and find your path. You have to set small goals in order to reach the big one. And you have to see your failures as learning curves. 

Yes, everything IS possible for those who believe. Do you believe?

Until next time,
Miss Chris!!!

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Christine Graves has been writing online for nearly 30 years. She has written everything from fiction and poetry to reviews and ad campaigns. She runs three other blogs. Graves Publications, Library of the Mystic Realms, and Collected Keepsakes. She also writes for a platform called Medium.com  where she runs several publications. 

Christine is an avid collector of vintage anything and an arts-and-crafts kinda gal. She is a sucker for a garage/yard sale, secondhand stores, and auctions. Because of this, she's opened her first real online shop called Prairied Treasures and another that showcases her AI artwork called Pathways through the Past. 

Be sure to sign up for the Graves Publications newsletter to stay up with all the latest news. 

God Wants Me to Write about Him

"Faith in God" by Christine Graves via Canva Pro

 

Okay, I know how weird that sounds, but it's true. I've had it on my heart for quite some time now that God wants me to do a blog about Him. I've tried to chalk it up to my overactive imagination, but I'm pretty sure it's really Him pushing me.

Here's the thing. I was raised a Protestant. I've been part of the Baptist faith, the Pentecostal faith, the Methodist faith, and even the Koinania faith (it's a non-denominational faith). I was raised to put all my faith in God and trust that whatever happened was God's will. I wasn't always happy with the outcome and God knows that. 

However, even with all the Christianity I've been a part of, I'm NOT a religious person. I believe in God, with my whole heart, but I think the term "organized religion" is a load of crap. God knows this too. I can't say He's happy about it, but He knows how I feel. I believe in God, not all the crap that comes with that term.

So, I've decided to listen to Him and start posting more about Him and how He works in my life. No, this isn't going to become a blog completely dedicated to God (sorry Lord), but I will be doing more posts about Him and His work in the world. I think we all could use a little help from God in the world today.

I'll be honest, I'm not exactly sure what I'll be writing about just yet, but I'm sure He'll tell me what he wants me to say. Anyway, I hope He does. I've got a few ideas. One of my very first stints as an online writer was a little blog called Finding the Father. I was pretty proud of it and I spent a lot of time bringing it to life. However, it was through a site called Webseed.com and they went belly-up and took my little blog with them. I was bummed.

I realize that most people don't want to have Christianity shoved down their throats, and I get that. I'm one of them. But I'm not looking to make this into that kind of place. I want the focus to be on God and His word. Not all the other BS that humans have woven into the mix. 

I hope you'll stop by in the coming weeks and see where I go with this. I promise I'll still have other things here, but I want to bring God into this and give Him a place to be heard. I just hope I can do Him justice. 

Until next time,
Miss Chris

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Christine Graves has been writing online for nearly 30 years. She has written everything from fiction and poetry to reviews and ad campaigns. She runs two blogs, Graves Publications and Collected Keepsakes. She currently writes for a platform called Medium.com and runs several publications through them. 

Christine is also an avid collector of vintage anything and an arts-and-crafts kinda gal. She is a sucker for a garage/yard sale, secondhand stores, and auctions. Because of this, she's opened her first real online shop called Prairied Treasures.